Caretaker PM Galab Donev is paying a visit to the Republic of North Macedonia today where, at the invitation of his counterpart Dimitar Kovačevski, he is to take part in a ceremony to mark the start of the construction of the Eastern portion of rail Corridor VIII, the Kumanovo - Belyakovce - Kriva Palanka section. 

Pan-European corridor VIII links Bulgaria with the Republic of North Macedonia, Albania and Italy (by sea). It is a key route in view of the consolidation of connectivity in the region, establishing an intermodal connection between the Black Sea and the Adriatic.

Bulgaria has been making efforts aimed at including Corridor VIII, and more specifically the Sofia - Skopje -Durrës - Tirana line, in the new European Western Balkans transport corridor.